Skirt-length gage.



R. W. TYLER.

SKIRT LENGTH. GAGE.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE a, 1908.

932, 1 92 Patented Aug; 24, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT QI FIE RALPH W. TYLER, OF GALESBURG, ILLINOIS.

SKIRT-LENGTH GAGE.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH W. TYLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Skirt-Length Gage, of which the following is a s ecification.

In fitting adies and girls skirts the thing most diflicult of accomplishment is to so measure the length of the skirt that its lower edge will at all points hang or be sus tained at the same distance from the floor, and the rincipal object of the invention is to provic e a device by which such accurate measurement may be effected, even by a novice in the art of dressmaking.

A further object is to provide a device of the character described which is of extreme simplicity, both in its construction and in its mode of operation.

A further object is to provide a device of the character described which may be profitably sold at a price which is within the reach of almost every family, which is strong and durable, which may be readily shipped or carried about from place to place, and which is adapted for measuring the skirts of children as Well as those of women.

A further object is to provide a novel means of locking the marker-hoop at any predetermined distance from the floor.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out.

WVith these objects in view, the invention consists in the constructions and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

It will be evident that the device is adapted for purposes other than that recited. For instance, it has been difficult to a ply fiounces, ruffles, folds and the like to s arts at even distances from the bottom thereof, but with the device hereinafter described the operation may be readily accomplished and is attended with successful results.

In order to enable my invention to be clearly understood and more easily carried into practice I have ap ended hereto drawings upon which I have i lustrated both preferred and modified forms of the improvements.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan; Fig. 2, afront elevation; Fig. 3, details of one of the supporting legs, showing from left to right respectively, a front elevation, an edge elevation, and an enlarged fragmental longitudinal section; Fig. 4, a modification, showingfromleft to right respectively, an edge ele- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 8, 1908.

Serial No. 437,346.

vation and afront elevation of one of the legs. Fig. 5, at the left hand upper view, shows a fragmentary portion of the parts shown at 1, seen from the interior thereof; the

lower left hand View, a plan of the same; the

upper right hand view, a slidable clip not provided with a staple, it being shown as securing the ends of the hoop together by frictional contact; and the lower right hand. view, a plan of the same parts. Fig. 6 shows at the lower view the blank from which the spring staple is formed; the view above it is a plan of the completed staple, and the left hand view, a section in the line 66. Fig. 7 is a modification hereinafter described.

Like numerals indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

2 indicates each supporting leg, of which there are referably three. Each leg comprises a p urality of sections 3 riveted together as shown to form hinges 4 by which means one, two or all of said sections may be selectively utilized and whereby the height of the marker-hoop from the floor may be regulated, the exact distance of separation being indicated by the scale At Fig. 3 I have shown a preferred means of holding the legs in vertical positions when extended, a struck-down portion 18 of one being adapted to spring into an indent 19 in the one below it. In the modified construe tion shown best at Fig. 4 I show a loop 6 which may be slipped over the overlapping ends of each pair, or, if necessary, over the ends of the three sections.

A hoop 7 preferably of band-iron, which may have its extremities bent as indicated by the numeral 9 at I igs. 1 and 5, constitutes the means whereby the place of mark ing the desired skirt-length is ascertained. In storage or for shipment the hoop is permitted to expand to its full length (straight) but when in use it may be held as shown.

20, Fig. 6, designates a blank from which is formed the slidable staple by which the hoo is held in adjustable engagement with the legs which support it. The staple comprises a U shaped keeper 21, clamping tongues 22 which engage the hoop 7, and a spring element 24 formed by bending the middle tongue of the blank rearwardly. The clip 25 which I refer to employ for securing the end of the ffoop is formed from a blank identical with that shown at Fig. 6 except that the middle tongue 24 is omitted. The

Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

tongues at the ends are bent over the hoo (which is shown at Fig. 1 as plane throughout its length) and hold the overlapping ends thereof securely together but free to slide When. it is desired to adjust them. Let it be supposed that one of the staples which includes the spring as an integral part thereof has been placed slidably on the hoop. It will be noted that the free end of the spring lies close to said hoop, so that when one of the sections of a leg is introduced between them it will be yieldingly held thereby, and when two or all of the sections are thus introduced the spring will further yield and they will be held in a like manner.

In the use of the modified device shown at Fig. 7, after the staples have been positioned on the hoop, one of the legs 2 is introduced through the keeper of each thereof, and when each leg has been adjusted to the desired length and the hoop adjusted with relation thereto, a spring lock 14 is employed to hold said parts firmly in engagement. The lock comprises a substantially V-shaped piece of spring metal having one of its ends, 16, bent to form convenient means whereby it may be gras ed, and which bent end further prevents t 1e V-shaped portion being pushed too far into the keeper.

In operation, the parts are assembled as shown at Figs. 1 and 2, and adjusted to the predetermined desired height. The person on whom the skirt is to be fitted stands within the hoop the lower portion of the skirt hanging thereover. The 0 erator Will then draw the skirt against the hoop and in any convenient manner, as by a piece of chalk, mark an indicating line around the skirt at either the top or bottom of the hoop. The legs, as has hereinbefore been stated, are adjustable to any desired height, and the scale makes certain that the hoop is evenly su ported above the floor. The position for iounces, ruflies, folds etc. is similarly ascertained and indicated.

It will be evident that changes in construction other than those described may be made without departing from the essential spirit of my invention. For instance, other means than the s ring may be used for securing the legs within the staples, as a setscrew. The legs, moreover, may be telesco ic, if preferred.

ithout limiting myself to details of construction, I claim as new:

1. Askirt length gage comprising a markerhoop and foldable and thereby extensible legs whereby it may be supported at selective heights above a floor.

2. Askirt-length gage comprising a markerhoop and foldable and thereby extensible legs having a scale thereon whereby said hoop may be sup orted at selective predetermined heights 1; ove a floor.

3. In a skirt length gage, in combination with a marker-hoo hinged supporting legs comprising a plura ity of sections adapted to sustain it at selective heights, and yielding means adapted to hold said elements in selective engagements.

4. In a skirt-length gage, a hoop, foldable and thereby extensiblemeans whereby it may be supported at predetermined heights, and yielding springs adapted to hold said elements movably together.

5. In combination with a marker-hoop, slidable means mounted thereon including a resilient portion, and legs made up of sections hinged to one another and adapted to be held in place within the slidable meansand to support it at selective distances above the floor.

6-. In combination, means for encircling an apparel skirt, means whereby the diameter of said means may be varied, and legs made up of sections hinged to'one another whereby it may be supported at selective heights above a floor.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of May, 1908.

RALPH W. TYLER.

Witnesses:

HERBERT E. IRWIN, H. M. RICHARDS. 

